Connie Hines, a Star Who Let Mr. Ed Do the Talking - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 12-24-2009, 06:36 PM

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He had the talking horse. Now all Alan Young had to do was find the right woman to play his wife on television's "Mr. Ed."

It was a task made simple, the veteran actor said Thursday, the moment he met a young actress named Connie Hines who had moved to Hollywood just two years before and had only a handful of TV appearances on her resume.

"I was one of the people in the room when we were auditioning for the part," Young, 90, told The Associated Press. "When Connie Hines walked in, we all just looked at each other before she even started speaking and said, 'This is the girl.' She just exuded something — fresh air, I guess you could call it — that we knew would make her perfect for the part."

Hines, who died a week ago at age 78, went on to make a lasting impact on a generation of Baby Boomers as Carol Post, the pretty, perky, young newlywed who never let it bother her that her husband, Wilbur, was seen by everybody else as a nut case with a horse he thought could talk only to him.

"I could talk about that horse all day long," Young said of stories about Mr. Ed, the golden palomino whose voice was provided by Allan "Rocky" Lane. "And I could talk about Connie all week long."

Forty-three years after the long-running show went off the air, Young says he is still asked two questions almost every day: "How did Mr. Ed talk, and is Connie as pretty as she looked on TV."

He keeps mum on the first question. He answers the second with one word: "Yes."

The two remained lifelong friends after the show left the air in 1966, appearing together from time to time in the play "Love Letters" for various charitable fundraisers Hines was promoting.

Active in causes for animals, Hines and her husband, Lee Savin, hosted a cable access show in the 1990s in which they helped find homes for animals and interviewed veterinarians and animal behavior experts.

After Savin died in 1995, Young said he persuaded Hines, who was devastated by the loss, to accompany him to autograph-signing shows so she could learn how much the public still loved her.

"It was, and continues to be, a warm and gratifying experience to see generations of fans coming to celebrate Mister Ed," she said in a chapter Young asked her to write for his 2007 book, "Mr. Ed and Me and More."

The child of actors, Hines grew up in Dedham, Mass., where she was chosen the most popular girl at Dedham High School. She said she fell in love with acting as a child after appearing opposite her father in the play "Clarence Day."

After a brief time acting and modeling in New York, she moved to Los Angeles in 1959 and began appearing on such television shows as "Whirlybirds," "Johnny Ringo" and "Sea Hunt."

Young said a memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 15.

MickeyMac · 12-24-2009, 09:26 PM

As pretty as Hines was, it was ok for her to let the horse talk.

Glad to see she and Alan Young were on the autograph circuit recently.

ThomasE · 12-28-2009, 02:03 AM

I agree with you Mickey Mac on both arguments.

catlover79 · 12-28-2009, 02:27 AM

What a wonderful tribute to a sweet, classy lady!!

Marvo301 · 01-04-2010, 04:06 AM

I really loved watching and listening to the interview with Connie Hines and Alan Young on the season one Mister Ed DVD set. They were perfectly cast as husband and wife on Mister Ed and as good friends in real life. Connie was not only one of TV's most beautiful actresses she was also one of the nicest.

Meade · 02-03-2010, 10:20 PM

Connie Hines and Alan Young really had excellent chemistry.

Marvo301 · 02-03-2010, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meade

Connie Hines and Alan Young really had excellent chemistry.

Yes they had great chemistry. And watching them be interviewed together on the Mister Ed season one DVD set they still had that chemistry over 40 years later.

TeeVeeCloset · 02-04-2010, 01:10 PM

I produced a syndicated satellite talk show between 1987-1997 that featured old time celebrities and Alan Young was and continues to be one of the most nicest and professionals out there.....Out of the over 100 people that guested on the show, my fondest memories are of Alan. I later met Connie and she was also so very sweet. Didn't have the courage to tell her the massive TV crush I had on her as a child...lol....I'm sure like so many other young boys at the time.

12-24-2009, 06:36 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,346	Connie Hines, a Star Who Let Mr. Ed Do the Talking Link He had the talking horse. Now all Alan Young had to do was find the right woman to play his wife on television's "Mr. Ed." It was a task made simple, the veteran actor said Thursday, the moment he met a young actress named Connie Hines who had moved to Hollywood just two years before and had only a handful of TV appearances on her resume. "I was one of the people in the room when we were auditioning for the part," Young, 90, told The Associated Press. "When Connie Hines walked in, we all just looked at each other before she even started speaking and said, 'This is the girl.' She just exuded something — fresh air, I guess you could call it — that we knew would make her perfect for the part." Hines, who died a week ago at age 78, went on to make a lasting impact on a generation of Baby Boomers as Carol Post, the pretty, perky, young newlywed who never let it bother her that her husband, Wilbur, was seen by everybody else as a nut case with a horse he thought could talk only to him. "I could talk about that horse all day long," Young said of stories about Mr. Ed, the golden palomino whose voice was provided by Allan "Rocky" Lane. "And I could talk about Connie all week long." Forty-three years after the long-running show went off the air, Young says he is still asked two questions almost every day: "How did Mr. Ed talk, and is Connie as pretty as she looked on TV." He keeps mum on the first question. He answers the second with one word: "Yes." The two remained lifelong friends after the show left the air in 1966, appearing together from time to time in the play "Love Letters" for various charitable fundraisers Hines was promoting. Active in causes for animals, Hines and her husband, Lee Savin, hosted a cable access show in the 1990s in which they helped find homes for animals and interviewed veterinarians and animal behavior experts. After Savin died in 1995, Young said he persuaded Hines, who was devastated by the loss, to accompany him to autograph-signing shows so she could learn how much the public still loved her. "It was, and continues to be, a warm and gratifying experience to see generations of fans coming to celebrate Mister Ed," she said in a chapter Young asked her to write for his 2007 book, "Mr. Ed and Me and More." The child of actors, Hines grew up in Dedham, Mass., where she was chosen the most popular girl at Dedham High School. She said she fell in love with acting as a child after appearing opposite her father in the play "Clarence Day." After a brief time acting and modeling in New York, she moved to Los Angeles in 1959 and began appearing on such television shows as "Whirlybirds," "Johnny Ringo" and "Sea Hunt." Young said a memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 15.
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12-28-2009, 02:03 AM	#3
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I agree with you Mickey Mac on both arguments.
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12-28-2009, 02:27 AM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	What a wonderful tribute to a sweet, classy lady!!
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01-04-2010, 04:06 AM	#5
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	I really loved watching and listening to the interview with Connie Hines and Alan Young on the season one Mister Ed DVD set. They were perfectly cast as husband and wife on Mister Ed and as good friends in real life. Connie was not only one of TV's most beautiful actresses she was also one of the nicest.
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02-04-2010, 01:10 PM	#8
TeeVeeCloset Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2003 Posts: 1,873	I produced a syndicated satellite talk show between 1987-1997 that featured old time celebrities and Alan Young was and continues to be one of the most nicest and professionals out there.....Out of the over 100 people that guested on the show, my fondest memories are of Alan. I later met Connie and she was also so very sweet. Didn't have the courage to tell her the massive TV crush I had on her as a child...lol....I'm sure like so many other young boys at the time.
	__________________ Living near "Ozzie Nelson Drive".....

12-24-2009, 09:26 PM	#2
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	As pretty as Hines was, it was ok for her to let the horse talk. Glad to see she and Alan Young were on the autograph circuit recently.

02-03-2010, 10:20 PM	#6
Meade Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 02, 2002 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 279	Connie Hines and Alan Young really had excellent chemistry.